Propelling device



E. F. PELS PROPELLING DEVICE Filed Oct.

March 2, 1943.

INVENTOR. EDA/A Z'PELs 64 446 I ATTORNL'YS Patented Mar. 2, 1943 oNrrEo stares we;

PROPELLING DEVICE Edna F. Pels, MontcIairQN. J1 I I Application October 6, 1941, s ramo. 413,775

(o1. 9 1s H I desired the containers may be of the type which Claims.

The present invention relates to a propelling device and it particularly relates to a propelling device to be used by persons floating or swim: mlng in water.

It is among the objects of" the present 'invention to provide an improved attachment which may be readily mounted upon the human body and adjusted to size or shape desired, and which may .be used by persons swimming or. float-- ingfor propulsion purposes or to permit more ready movement.

Another object is to. provide a swimming attachment which will enable inexpert swimmers to move morerapidly in water and enable beginners and learners to float or swimmore readfly. .v f 1 Another object is to providea device to be utilized by people in aquatic sports which-can be used as a means of playing water sports or water games and. which will require different types of skill and permit of different types ofmovements and speeds than are ordinarily possible with use of the hands and feetalone. e

Other objects and advantages will appear. from the more detailed description set forth below,- it being understood, however, vthatthis more detailed descriptionis given byway of illustration since various changes therein may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the-invention may be also used" to hold air or a certain pro portion of air to give buoyancy in the case of inexpert swimmers or learner's.

Also, if desired, the. container may be held in fixed position',-or'held along the waist of the person indulging in aq'uatic sports, or the containers may bemade adjustable, so that the said containers may be adjusted to the balance, size and-"shape of the body of the person.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description In accomplishing the above-objects it has 1 been found most satisfactory according .to one embodiment of the present invention to vpro: vide a .collapsiblezchamber or container about the person of the swimmenwhich may cause water to be propelled in a desired directionand by the reaction mer. to move. 1

Although the collapsible containersv may be positionedlbetween the legs or underthe. arm pits, or on the front or back of the .bodya;-,so that. the Water expelled therefrom will give the desired reaction and propulsion it has been found that a movement ofthe elbows toward the body is much'more efiective in causing the expulsion of the water and propelling reaction.

Therefore, it has been found preferable to position the containers atthe sidesof the body under the armsrratherthan onv the front or back of the body where it can be pressed by the hands. v 4 It has also been found that the container is much more desirablypositioned on the.upper part ofthe body than on the legs or the'outside of the legs, or adjacent the hips or lower portion of the body. 1, r v

If desired, however, small or large collapsible containers may be positioned at the various places on the body whether along the sides, under the arms, on the front or back of the lower of such propulsion cause a swim 0 part of the body, or along the thighs, and if when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing and will illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing: 1 Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of oneform of swimming device according to the present invention. I 4 .y I Fig. 2- is a transver'se sectional View upon the upon an enlarged scale as compared-torFig.2. i

Fig. 3'-is aside-diagrammatic perspective View showing the position-ofthe devices of Figs.'- 1

and 2 upon the body of a user, floating or swimming' inwater.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5- show .alternative constructions user although it is positioned adjacent the-arms. Fig; 4 being a side elevational view of the swimmer or floater-with the .device attached tohis body and in use, and Fig. 5 being a side elevational iview of the collapsible container of Fig. 4 .upon a n enlarged scale as compared with i 4 Referring-to the embodiments ofFigs. law 3, the device is provided with a-collapsiblesetof containers ,l 'll', shownas being two in number, but which-may be lessor more, having theinlet connections -H and- 12:- rvi I In the preferred construction the device l2 consistsof .an outlet valve which permits flow flow. into" the chamber as indicated-by the arrow I4 to-fill the chamber and such chamber-may normallytend to expand after pressure has been released; therefrom. 1

-:ASI aresult, when the collapsible chamberor container. lU-"is' preSse'dLagainst the body, the water therein will berorced out through the outlet, l2 while the check valve in the inlet l l will be closed.

Upon release and expansion of the chamber I B, the check valvein the outlet 12 willbe automaticallyclosed while the valve will be open Ip rmittinglinflowio'f wa'ter't'o fill'the chamberiagaih,

NT orifice].

where the device may be collapsed by the" Although the chambers ill-l may be of various materials they are most satisfactorily made of rubber, and if the rubber does not have suflicient resiliency to restore it to its shape, springs may be inserted, either flat or coil springs, molded in or with the rubber or positioned in-the chamber, preferably suitably rustproof or made of rustless metals to cause the chamber to expand when pressure has been released.

These chambers ID may be positioned at various points about the body and maybe held adjustably or fixedly upon the belt or straps.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the inside faces I! of the chamber ID are attached by welding or riveting, or in some other water-tight or fluid-tight fashion to the straps l8 and I9, which may expand entirely around the body of the user as indicated in Fig. 3.

The upper or lower straps l8 and 19 may carry extra containers, such as indicated at 2-0, which may be filled with air for buoyancy purposes, and if desired the chambers It may also be so arranged that they will always contain a proportion of air in addition to the water, which is caused to flow thereinto upon release of pressure upon the inlet H and outwardly upon application of outside pressure through the outlet 42.

The straps l8 and H! as well as the containers 20 are held in their relative positions by straps 2| which are connected to the rear :faces I] oi the collapsible containers -10. The adjustments 22 enable attachment of the various straps in and about the device. These straps may be of a waterproof fabric or of rubber or resinous ma}; terials.

In operation, referring to .Fig. 3, at the rear of the stroke, when the arms are drawing rear wardly the swimmer 23 may press with .his elbows 24 against the collapsible chambers l9 propelling the water, as indicated at-25, rear wardly and propelling himself :forwa-rdly in the direction l3. i

As soon as the elbows 24 are removed from the containers I'll the chambers ID will .spring back in place, drawing water through the inlets ll.

operation can be continued indefinitely propelling the user of the device at great speed through water, and it may be utilized either to accustom the personto the water or aid in swimiming instructions.

The various straps I8, is and 20, of course.

may be adjustable and may carry additional collapsible containers than those shown.

In the alternative construction of Figs. .4 and 5, the corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals in Figs. 1 to .3 however primed.

The collapsible container is caused to collapse by an actuating connection 3.0 connected at 3| to the foot or strap around the root 3?,

of the swimmer.

Extension of the leg, as shown in Fig. 4 will result in compression or collapse .of the container l0, with the ejection of water and propulsion of the swimmer in the direction l3.

Contraction of the leg on the :o'therhandwill result in the collapsible chamber l0 being filled with water through the :inlet, *which in the instance shown is indicated at I12 and may be the same outlet. The strap or actuating connection 30 may be attached to the container H! by the ear 33.

It is thus apparent that the present applicant has provided an improved floating or swimming,

and readily manipulated by persons in aquatic sports or games, or actually in swimming instruction. The device may be made of rubber and is relatively lightweight and inexpensive, and may be used in games or for amusement in connection with water sports.

The various containers should so be positioned about the body to enable effective application of the body members or connections therefrom to collapse or open the containers.

It is also apparent the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification without departing from the scope of the .invention, all of which variations and modifications are tobe included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A swimming and propelling device comprising at least one .deflatable container, :means :for admitting water into said container, means for discharging water :from said container .into a predetermined direction and means iorisecuring said container to the body of a wearer.

2. A swimming and propelling device comprising .at .least one defia'table .container, an inlet valve for admitting 'water into said container provided on said container, an outlet valve for ejecting a stream of water from said container provided on said container and means for securing said container to the body of a wearer.

:3. A .swirnming and propelling device :compri-sing at least one deflatable container made of flexible material, an inlet valve for aspirating water into said container while said container is expanding, an outlet valve for ejecting a stream of water from said container while said container is being deflated, said valves being attached to said container, and a :harness :'for securing said container to the body of a wearer.

4. Aswimming and propelling device comprising at least one .defiatable container made of flexible material, means for restoring said container from a deflated position into an inflated position, an inlet valve for aspirating water into said container while said container is expanding, an outlet valve for ejecting a stream of water from said containerwhile ;said container is bein deflated, .said valves being attached to said eontainer, and a harness for securing said container to the body of a wearer in a position in which said :stream or water is ejected into a direction 1 substantially opposite to :the intended direction or propulsion "device to be placed upon the body of propulsion.

5. Aswimming :and propelling device comprising .at :least one defiatable container :made of flexible material, an inlet valve :for aspirating water :into :said container awhile said container is expanding, an outlet valve for ejecting .a stream of water from .said container while said :container is being deflated, :said valves being attachedto said container, "and 'aiharnessior securing said container 'to the body of a wearer :in :a position in which said stream of water is ejected into a direction substantially opposite to the intended direction .oipropulsion, :a :string fastened with one end to said container and adapted .to be fastened with its other :end to the body :of the wearer for deflating said container {by body movements and means for restoring said container zirom its deflated position into its inflated position.

' EDNA F. PELS. 

